Book matches



June 17, 1941. w, w L N 7 2,246,427

BOOK MATCHES I Filed March 11, 1940 Patented June 17, 1941 warren stares PATENT OFFICE BOOK MATCHES Ralph W. Wilton, Washington, D. C. Applieaticn March 11, 1940, Serial No. 323,457

4 Claims.

This invention relates to book matches, and it has to do particularly with a book match packet the matches of which are effectively protected against ignition when not in use and when an individual match is struck.

As is well known, users of book matches have received painful burns due, ordinarily, to careless handling of the match books, such as failure to close the cover flap before striking a match, or carrying several books of matches in a single pocket or receptacle with likelihood of the heads of the matches of one book rubbing against the friction or striking surface of another book.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide book matches the parts of which are so constructed and arranged as to reduce the hazard of their use to a minimum while, at the same time, sacrificing none of their usual features of convenience, and adding to the facility of their use.

Also, in accordance with the invention, additional surfaces for the reception of advertising and other printed matter are provided.

The invention contemplates a book match packet including one or more cards of matches of individually severable type, each card being furnished with an overlying protector strip in face-to-face relation with it and serving to guard the adjacent heads of the matches of its respective card, and each protector strip formed, by appropriate perforation, slitting, scoring or the like, for severance of portions substantially coextensive in area with individual associated matches of its respective card, the cards of matches and their protector strips preferably being assembled with a cover having a back and a retainer flap between which the match cards and protector strips are secured at their base portions by stapling, stitching or other conventional means, and the cover being provided with a conventional tuck-in flap or not, as desired. And the invention contemplates also various structural refinements, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a book match packet showing one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing still another embodiment of the invention, with part of the tuck-in flap broken away.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified arrangement of the match cards and protector strips, and

Fig. 5 is a view essentially similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a further structural refinement.

As will be apparent, in all the embodiments of the invention illustrated the book match packet preferably includes a cover member having a back I and a retainer flap 2 between which the interleaved cards of individually severable matches 3 and protector strips 4 are appropriately secured at their base portions by staples, wire stitches or the like conventional means 5. The usual friction or striking surface 6 may be provided in any convenient or customary location upon the cover member.

Obviously the protector strips 4 which are in face-to-face relation with their respective cards of matches 3 are of such area as to appropriately cover the matches, and particularly the adjacent match heads 1, and. they are linearly weakened as by perforations 8, slits 9 or scores I'll, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, so that portions substantially coextensive in area with the individual associated or underlying matches may be torn or broken away, as shown in Fig. 2, either prior to or simultaneously with the detachment for use of individual matches.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, Where the protector strips are slitted, the slits 9 may terminate short of the lower edges of the strips to provide continuous bottom or base portions thereon for purposes of easy assembly, but where perforations 8 or scores H] are employed, these weakening means may extend throughout the strips.

Although the protector strips 4 furnish complete protection for the matches against inadvertent ignition, the cover member may, if desired, be provided with the conventional tuck-in flap ll, Fig. 3.

The protector strips 4, and also the match cards 3, particularly when cards of the type shown in Fig. 2 are used, may be printed or otherwise provided with advertising matter or the like, as may also the backs I and tuck-in flaps ll.

As shown in Fig. 4, use of the book matches of the invention may be facilitated by a stepped arrangement of the protector strips 4 and match cards 3, the strips and the match cards being progressively shorter from front to back of the packet. Thus grasping of portions of the protector strips 4 and of individual associated or underlying matches of the several cards 3 may be made easier thanwhere the free edges of the strips 4 and the heads 1 of the associated matches lie, respectively, in substantially the same horizontal planes.

Obviously this stepped arrangement may be used in packets either with or without the tuckin flap ll.

Where a tuck-in flap H is employed, use of the book matches may be further facilitated by providing the front protector strip t with a scoring l2, perforations or other lateral weakening means, as indicated in Fig. 5, spaced so1newhat above the upper edge of the retainer flap 2, so that, when portions of the protector strip and the underlying matches are removed, an upwardly projecting wall is provided against which the lower edge of the tuck-in flap ll may be pressed to guide it into closed position between the protector strip and the retainer flap 2.

The use of the book matches of the invention will, it is believed, be understood from the foregoing, but it will be noted that no matter how many individual matches are removed, together with the overlying portions of the protector strips associated therewith, the remaining matches will be completely covered and protected against ignition by the remaining portions of the protector strips. 7

Moreover, as closing of a tuck-in flap, such as the flap ll shown, is not essential to protect the match heads against accidental ignition, more than one of the book match packets of the invention may be carried in a pocket or other receptacle without hazard.

It is known that book match packets have been provided heretofore in which strips are interleaved with the match cards, butin these no provision is made for removal of individual portions substantially corresponding in width to the width of the underlying individual matches.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims,

What I claim is:

1. In a book match packet, a card ofinterconnected matches of individually severable type, a a;

back secured to one side of the match card at the base portion thereof, and a protector strip of leaf form secured in face-to-face relation with the other side of said match card at the base portion thereof and terminating in a free edge adjacent to the heads of the matches, said protector strip being formed with spaced lines of weakening substantially coinciding with the lines of separation between individual matches of said card and defining portions of said strip substantially coextensive in area with individual associated matches and each such portion capable of severance with an individual associated match. said match card, back and protector strip when thus assembled completing the packet.

2. In a book match packet, a plurality of superposed cards of interconnected matches of individually severable type, a back secured to one side of said plurality of cards at the base portions thereof, a protector strip of leaf form associated in face-to-face relation with and secured at the base portion of each of said cards at the other sides thereof, each of said strips terminating in a free edge adjacent to the heads of the matches of its respective associated card, and each strip being formed with spaced lines of weakening substantially coinciding with the lines of separation between the matches of its respective associated card and defining portions substantially coextensive in area with the individual associated matches thereof and each portion capable of severance with an individual associated match, said match cards, back and protector strips when thus assembled completing the packet.

3. In a book match packet, a cover member constituting a back and a retainer flap, a card of interconnected matches of individually severable type and a protector strip of leaf form associated in face-to-face relation and assembled between said back and retainer flap with said back and retainer flap engaging the match card and protector strip respectively and secured thereto at their base portions, said protector strip being of leaf form and terminating in a free edge adjacent to the heads of the matches and being formed with spaced lines of weakening substantially coinciding with the lines of separation between individual matches of said card, and said lines of weakening defining portions of said strip substantially coextensive in area with individual associated matches and each such portion capable of severance with an individual associated match, said match card, cover member and protector strip when thus assembled completing the packet.

4. In a book match packet, a cover member constituting a back, a retainer flap and a tuckin flap, a card of interconnecting matches of individually severable type and a protector strip of leaf form associated in face-to-face relation and assembled between said back and retainer flap with said back and retainer flap engaging the match card and protector strip respectively and secured thereto at their base portions, said tuckin flap having a free edge serving normally to be engaged between said protector strip and retainer flap, said protector strip being of leaf form and terminating in a free edge adjacent to the heads of the matches and being formed with spaced lines of weakening substantially coinciding with the lines of separation between individual matches of sad card, and said lines of weakening defining portions of said strip substantially coextensive in area with individual'associated matches and each such portion capable of severance with an individual associated match, said match card, cover member and protector strip when thus assembled completing the packet. I

RALPH W. WILTON. 

